High prices, lack of transparency in commercial conditions and difficulties in purchasing procedures as regards the National Health Service. These are the results ofsurvey, launched in September 2023, of the Competition and Market Guarantor Authority (AGCOM) on the market of hearing aids. Systems that Italians rely on more and more. Currently, around 7 million Italians have hearing problems, and among them, 2,5 million already use hearing assistance devices. However, compared to other countries such as France i average prices in Italy (between 1.500 and 2.100 euros) they are higher and with fewer public incentives.
The Authority has thus sent a report to Parliament, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economy, Agenas, Regions and Autonomous Provinces to report critical issues regarding the transparency of offers to the public and supplies of the National Health Service.
Lack of transparency of commercial conditions
One emerges from the investigation lack of transparency in trading conditions regarding hearing aids, with consumers having difficulty get clear information on prices and related services. Often, the latter are sold together with the appliance without distinction, even if they represent the main expense in the package, a fact not perceived by consumers.
The Authority therefore recommended to the various institutions, "also through regulatory interventions, a clear indication to the public of the price of the device compared to that of the services offered".
Difficulties in purchasing procedures from the NHS
In addition to unfair business practices, serious ones are then reported difficulties in public purchasing procedures of hearing aids supplied by the National Health Service, due to unclear legislation and opposition from major commercial operators. Considering the possibility of return to a “tariff” regime for public supplies, the Authority suggests that the administrations involved "can carry out tenders" to guarantee the efficiency of public spending and promote competition.
The Antitrust then proposed to assign a contract directly to the client reimbursement in the form of "vouchers" or "hearing vouchers", in order to encourage competition between suppliers of products and services and allow access to adequate and technologically advanced offers.
Codacons: “real hearing business”
“On the hearing aid front, for some time now in Italy we have been witnessing a real 'hearing business', with companies selling tools and services to citizens at very high prices and in non-transparent conditions, such as to represent a possible form of speculation to the detriment of users who suffer from hearing problems" stated the Codacons commenting on the Antitrust report sent.
“The Antitrust investigation shows how i Italian citizens are discriminated against compared to those of other European countries in terms of hearing aids, suffering on the one hand higher prices, on the other hand little transparency on the contractual conditions - explains Codacons - A situation that extends to the entire National Health Service and therefore to the community, and which requires urgent intervention by the Government and Parliament to block any speculation to the detriment of people with hearing problems, starting from stringent limits on the combined sale of devices and services, a practice which, as also noted by the Antitrust, enormously increases the costs borne by citizens.
The Antitrust investigation causes Amplifon to collapse on the stock market
The Antitrust investigation is also being felt in Piazza Affari. Amplifon, the leading company in the hearing aid sector, lost more than 5% at the start of trading, sliding to the bottom of the list. At 11,30 the stock lost 2,64%.
In Italy, Amplifon is the main operator with a market share of approximately 40% and generates approximately 20% of the Group's overall turnover.
